Four and Counting
by queenb48
Summary: It's Jeff's birthday, but the topic of someone else's birth is on everyone's mind. Just a small family piece, Lucille is pregnant with Alan and the family incounter a normal, Tracy evening - R&Rplease!


4 and counting

Disclaimer – I don't own any of the Thunderbirds! Not their names, nudda! Enjoy the read and be sure to R&R! (please be nice!)

Diary date – 2 January 2044

The Kansas weather was harshly beautiful, sometimes unexpectingly hazardous and their country roads were no better, as the ice thickened beneath the newly dusting of diamond. Early January seems to be the time now as to when it snows, whatever happened to a white Christmas? Still, it flurries down and shimmies across the open country land. The many fields, covered in a blanket of snow, still and untouched. Crystals bounce off its spread in the moonlight, dancing beneath the slow growing spring trees. The fresh, crisp air circles the darkened skies above the perfect scenery, shimmying amongst the long, spiked icicles hanging from the gutters and barns.

The only movement out on the moor, is that of a magnificent deer. He with his grand antlers, strides across the open countryside. Walking with pride in the thick snow, twitching its nose in the falling glitter. It slows at the sound of a vehicle, and halts at its presence. Pricking its ears up, he turns his majestic head toward the sound of the low running mechanical engine. His eyes widen in the a-jarred headlights, off to the right yet continues forth with its journey. His hoof prints are erased quickly, as the snow drift picks up speed, but he doesn't mind. He finds a small opening in a bundle of trees, all a topped with clumped snow, and ventures inward to the protection and secrecy of the darkened cove, unlikely to be seen again for quite some time.

A tiring trek for those on foot, but more of a dangerous one for those who dare risk driving out in the server weather conditions. Jeff's middle name was stubborn however, and didn't intend of giving in to Mother Nature's power; oh how he hated snow. The complications with travel disruptions it bought, the restrictions on any form of activity beyond walking it caused. As beautiful as the surrounding setting was, it was hard to define in a now well built blizzard. Jeff remembered the climb up the country lane toward his family farm house in better seasons, the one of which he couldn't actually make it up in the slippery snow. No matter how powerful his 4x4 was, his sleek, black Mercedes just couldn't grip and struggled upwards.

Jeff started to grow frustrated toward the vehicle and mumbled to himself about the modern mechanics of today's design and technology. He would change that. Never again would he be faced with a pathetic challenge. At a snail's pace, and battling the strong Kansas' winds, Jeff finally made it to the garage door. He turned off the pleading engine and scrambled to gather his various possessions that had been scattered across the back and passengers seat in his mist. He sighed as he looked to one of his mobile phone screens, in disappointment at the sudden arrival of several texts and missed calls. He snapped the phone shut and placed it in his pocket, before emerging from the warmth of the car. The temperatures were defiantly varied, and the sudden gust of wind that swept past Jeff's face sent shudders down his spine. He smiled however at the warm glow that could be seen coming through the farmhouses' windows. The Christmas lights were still in place and welcoming twinkled in and out of the flustering snowflakes as Jeff tiptoed across the ice covered path, in an attempt to avoid any form of slip. He managed. And with that shook the stray snow droplets from his coat and grey growing hair and rummaged for his keys in his pockets. The porch gave him a gentle shelter, and with the gratefulness of its existence, along with the juggling of the folders, phones and his laptop, Jeff finally found the sought metal. Just as he laid everything down on the patio table next to the big red door, the lock from inside clicked. Jeff pulled back the key quickly and placed it in his pocket as a hyper, brunette and blond ran at him and called in unison,

"DADDY! HAPPY BIRTHDAY!"

Jeff smiled at his two eldest boys and knelt down to their height and welcomed their loving hugs that greeted him. He held both close and kissed them both on the heads,

"Scotty, Johnny! Ah I've missed you!"

Jeff held them closer on purpose as he could feel them both trying to wriggle away. With the last ounce of strength left in him from the gruelling day of work, he hoisted the two over his shoulders and strode into the warm living room, with them both flaring their arms and legs in excitement. As they shrieked with laughter, Jeff tousled them onto the sofa as he sat down in-between them. John sat up quickly and placed a piece of coloured in paper in his lap,

"Daddy! Look what I made for you birthday!"

Jeff admired the picture John pulled from the sofa that he had drawn for him, and could identify each family member by a certain feature. Himself, in a birthday hat, awkwardly holding a birthday cake, with some of the lettering the wrong way round. Scott was the tallest out of the children, with a clear scribble of brown for his hair. John being the same only with blonde scribbles for hair and that of having a star on his top. His favourite top was this particular one, and Jeff knew the exact one straight off. The third child was a near identical replica of Scott, only he had a messy looking paint brush in his hand. And in the arms of his round looking wife, sat a coppertop beaming at his mother,

"Johnny, why has mummy got a circle for her tummy?"

Scott placed a miss-placed hand over his mouth to stop the giggles from tripping out. And look onto John, who had climbed down from the sofa, whilst holding onto his father's knee for support to point at the different people in the colourful drawing,

"I did mummy as a cu'rcle, coz she's got 'nother baby in her belly"

With his John rubbed his stomach at the mention of belly, and this made Jeff grin even more at John's explanation, and for a 4 year old, it was a very good one. This too had Scott laughing and he zoomed off into the kitchen at the speed of light to get something. Jeff gazed back over the family portrait John had drawn and stood up and walked over to the fire place. He placed it atop the mantle piece and stood back to admire it,

"I think its wonderful Johnny, thank you, what a lovely birthday present"

John giggled and ran at his father's legs and hugged them till Jeff lifted an ecstatic John into the air. The airborne son laughed hysterically until he saw his mother step into the room, holding on her hip his youngest brother. John screeched in delight at the women and demanded his father to let him go so he could see his mother. Jeff turned on the stop and was greeted with a warm, rosy smile. As he lowered John to the ground, Scott followed in behind his mother as her gracefulness carried her along the gap between herself and the blonde. Jeff simply admired her cherishment amongst the 2 eldest and lowered the copperhead, Gordon down and sat him upright on the floor. And just as she had done so, the other brunette son stumbled into the living room and threw himself at Scott. Jeff was lost in a world of his own as he starred longingly at the family and women he loved. Her motherly hood shone like a star and her eyes twinkled in the orange tinge of the lighting. Jeff's heart fluttered as her chestnut brown, curled locks bounced on her shoulders. Lucille was true beauty, glowing with pride and love. He had never fallen out of love, if anything he fell back in love every time he saw her. But the one thing that topped it all off, was that of her large bump, hidden behind a long, knitted cardigan. Jeff smiled brightly toward his wife, and walked toward her,

"Evening Sweetheart, did I mention how gorgeous you look this evening?"

Lucille stepped forward slightly and kissed Jeff lightly on the lips before looking into his blue fading eyes,

"You just did Honey, Happy Birthday"

As Lucille approached Jeff for another kiss, there was an eruption of little boys' voices filling the room. Lucille swepted down and lifted Gordon back into her arms, pulling his half ingulfed fist away from his mouth,

"No Gordy Darling, we don't eat our hands"

Jeff jerked in laughter at the watery smile Gordon emitted to his mother, and stroked his orange hair that bounced playfully on his head,

"Here Sweetheart, let me take him. You don't want to be carrying him as well"

Lucille gratefully handed over the bouncing toddler, but was soon bombarded by another set of hands at her cardigan,

"Mummy, I no want sleepies"

Lucille knelt down to the small brunettes level, being careful not to over balance herself and stroked his face and hair as he scrubbed at his eyes,

"Virgil Sweetie, you're very tired. You had a busy day today, didn't you? Playing out in the snow"

Virgil nodded wearily and complied with his mother's statement. He hadn't properly understood her lullaby words, but had been more in taken by the soothing element of which they consisted. Lucille carefully pulled herself up straight, before being helped by Jeff and seeing he had empty hands,

"Sweetheart, you need to stop bending up and down so much"

"I'll do what I like thank you, now what have you done with my water baby?"

Lucille looked round Jeff, to see that he had sat him up in the corner of the sofa and saw Jeff had left Scott and John to entertain him. A smile blossomed on her face as she tiptoed over to the three, whilst Jeff scooted round her and scooped Virgil into his arms,

"Come on my little man, bed time"

Rubbing his eyes once more, Virgil blinked out of unison and struggled slightly in protest,

"I no wanna sleep daddy"

"Now come on Virgil, I'll read you your favourite story, the one about that magical island, remember?"

Virgil nodded as his tired head collapsed into his father's shoulder. He had fallen asleep half way up the stairs, so instead Jeff skipped the story and tucked in the small boy into his green coloured cot. Jeff didn't like his 3 year old son still sleeping in a cot, but Virgil had shown no interest in escaping out of it and didn't like being in an open bed anyway. As Jeff backed away slightly from kissing his son on the forehead, he looked round the room. It was obvious that it was Virgil's; no other toddler could make such a mess with paint and crayons. Jeff sighed at the weekend job that lay ahead and tiptoed toward the door, and just as he left, he flicked a nightlight switch which illuminated the room with faded rocket shapes circling slowly round the walls and ceiling. Jeff closed the door quietly, and headed back downstairs to his other terrors

One down, 3 to go

Lucille started hushing Gordon as he had started to cry just as Jeff had left. John had accidently patted his head a little hard in an attempt to stop him from falling sideways, and Gordon didn't like the sudden outburst of protection Scott had dosed. Scott had pulled back John quite harshly and didn't register his own strength. It was only when Lucille had scolded him slightly that he had realized what he had done. Looking between John, who was close to tears, Gordon who was in tears and his mother who was calming the infant, he turned to apologise to John,

"I'm really sorry Johnny! I didn't mean it, honest! I thought you were hurting him"

John sniffed and held the arm Scott had pulled at, but looked to the floor before lifting his head back up with his decision,

"Well, you said sorry, so I guess its ok. I didn't want to hurt Gordy, it was an akident"

Lucille had slowly eased Gordon out of his tears and had focused him back onto chewing his fist. She didn't support the idea, but with no in-reach chew toys or dummies she left him to it. She sat back on her heels, with her bump dominating the space between Gordon sat up against the back of the sofa and her, and it was only at arms stretch that she could reach him. Happy that Gordon was slowly drifting into the clouds as his watery fist left his mouth, she stood and turned to her eldest,

"Now Scott honey, that wasn't very nice what you did to Johnny was it? Did you say sorry?"

Scott held his hands behind his back and frowned in guilt,

"I did Mummy, and I'm sorry I did. It will never happen again, I thought he was hurting Gordy"

"It's ok Mummy, he did! But I wasn't trying to hurt Gordy, he was gunna fall over so I tried to stop him, and then Scott pushed me and I think it scared him"

Lucille was about to finalize the settlement when Gordon suddenly screeched. Lucille hadn't been expecting the sudden noise and jumped slightly. She almost fell backwards and even with the sudden reaction of Scott and John tiring to catch her, she was thankful of the stronger set of hands behind her,

"Whoa! Easy Honey!"

"Jeff! Thank God you where there! Oh, Gordy don't scare mummy like that!"

She looked down to Gordon who cheekily snuggled into the sofa cushions and then leaped forward to Scott, who had too like Jeff developed a quick reaction skill and had stepped forward to insure Gordon didn't fall the couple of feet off the sofa. With all his strength Scott heaved him onto the floor next to him and played a quickened version of peek-a-boo, along with John. Lucille turned round to face her husband, who's eyes were still exploding with adrenaline and worry,

"Jeff Sweetheart, you can relax. I'm sorry about the close call; I do think that one's got the cheek of the devil"

"Very close call! And with his hair it wouldn't surprise me"

Jeff and Lucille shared a comforting laugh between themselves before turning their attention back to the three leftover boys. Lucille immediately went for Gordon who gurgled at her humming a lullaby as she drifted toward the staircase, leaving Jeff behind with Scott and John,

"Hmm, 9 o'clock? Getting a little late boys"

"Mummy said we could stay up for your birthday, and Scott said he was never gunna sleep coz he thinks Santa is gunna come back and give you a present!"

John pointed excitedly to Scott, who just as high spiritedly nodded to the announcement,

"It's true Daddy! He's gunna come back and give you a present! OH! I almost forgot!"

Scott stood up from sitting on his heels and ran for the kitchen and in a blink of an eye, he was gone,

"Scooter! Slow down!"

Jeff shook his head as he fell onto the sofa once more; and just as he had finished Scott came racing back into the room with a card in one hand and a cupcake in the other,

"I writted the card out all by myself, and I saved you my cupcake coz it's your birthday and I didn't know what else to get you"

Scott placed the 2 objects onto each of Jeff's knees, and Scott's smile brightened as Jeff's did,

"Aw, Scott! You didn't have to save me your cupcake! Tell you what, us three can share it yeah?"

John and Scott looked at each other, and then nodded in agreement. Not being such a great lover of cake, Jeff took the smallest 3rd, and happily let the two eldest have the bigger pieces. He read through the card and was mightily impressed with Scott's writing ability,

"To Daddy, Happy Birthday, Lot's of love Scott xxx. Aww thank you Scott, I must say your writing skills are amazing. You have been practicing haven't you?"

John felt a little left out, and on the verge of slight jealousy, but then remembered his father's reaction to his drawing and looked at it, sat proudly on the mantel piece, above the warm crackling embers of the fire. Feeling slightly uplifted, he helped to encourage Scott to speak, beyond his half drooled words through the chewing of the cake,

"Yeah he has daddy! He's been pactizing all day! He did it lots of times before writted that one!"

Scott looked up to John and shushed him, before stuffing the final piece of cake into his mouth. It took him only a few seconds to devour the goodness, and finally yawned when he had licked his lips,

"I'm getting tired now"

John chimed in with the tiring 5 year old and hooped onto the sofa next to his father and snuggled into his side,

"Mummy is gunna have a nuther bubba? Is it gunna be a girl?"

Jeff looked down to his side and grinned at John whose eyes where falling shut. It didn't take long for John to fall asleep usually but this was exceptional even in his case. Jeff looked to Scott who was still standing in front of him and patted the empty seat next to him, placing the card onto the nearby coffee table,

"Well, I would have hoped so. But no, she's having another boy"

John flew into an upright position at Jeff's reply, and both Scott and John leaned in to the father's view, firing any question that popped into their mind,

"We're gunna have another b-wother?"

"When's he gunna be here daddy?"

"Will he look like me?"

"OR ME? I don't have anyone that looks like me! Scotty has Virgie to look like him! Gordy don't look like me! He has oringee hair!"

Jeff laughed as John pulled at his hair to prove a point. No, no other son, nor family member Jeff could think of had ginger hair, but as he thought harder about it, he remembered Lucille's grand-mother having long, flowing curled locks that seemed to dance in the wind. But they weren't as ginger as Gordon's, his auburn hair was a completely different tone altogether

That boy really is the devil's own, can't wait to see what he's like through his teenage years. He's going to be fun...

Jeff snapped out of his thought bubble and caught the youthful eyes of his 2 sons peering back at him. They had run through these questions before when Gordon was soon to be born. Jeff couldn't believe the little boy's unexpected arrival happened on Valentine's day. He wasn't supposed to be born for another week, but no matter. He loved his coppertop just as he did all his other sons, even if he was a menus and cheek at times,

"Ok boys! One at a time! Yes you are going to have another brother. And yes Johnny, from the interlec-scans at the hospital, the baby will have blonde hair most likely"

John's smile widened whilst Scott's dropped slightly. He loved the idea of having another brother, but he had a special liking for Virgil, simply because of his hair colour and their other similarities,

"So he's going to look like Johnny Daddy?"

"I believe so son, he'll be here on the 12th of March according to the doctors, but do you remember when Gordon was born?"

Scott pondered on the thought and then zipped off the sofa to the calendar nearby. It hid slightly behind the Christmas tree that still stood proudly in the living room, and Scott was careful to lower it slowly, before skipping back to the sofa and turning to the month of February, he looked over the dates before spotting the circled one stating

Gordon's 2nd Birthday!

Scott pointed at it, then frowned slightly as he had always remembered something special about Gordon's birthday,

"That's love day Daddy! Whoa! Gordy was a special bubba!"

John agreed enthusiastically with his brother and pointed at the week in advanced,

"But daddy weren't he spose to be born here?"

John pointed at the exact date that Gordon was suppose to be born on, the 19th,

"John, I'm impressed! You remembered that date? I never remember that one!"

Jeff did lie slightly, but none the less made his son feel proud at his accomplishment. Scott and John soon snuggled back at the sides of their father as Jeff began to speak,

"Well boys, in a couple months' time, you'll have another brother. You're very lucky to be having another one, although it would have been nice to have a little girl you four could protect, love and play with. But, he'll still be your youngest brother and nothing will change that that's for sure. I'm sure you will love Alan just as much as you love your other two brothers-"

"Since when am I naming my fifth child Alan?"

Jeff cocked his head to the doorway to see Lucille holding her unborn child, whist holding her hip in question. Her eye brows were raised and her sherry lips parted slightly as she looked on at the three of them. Scott and John had appeared to have fallen asleep on each side of him,

"What have I told you about boring your children to sleep? It's not healthy"

Lucille smiled wickedly as she walked over to John and with her last ounce of strength lifted him onto her hip and kissed his blonde mop of hair,

"I'll get this one to bed, you can take Scooter"

Lucille turned and headed for the door, but before she could carrying on she was stopped by Jeff suddenly appearing in front of her,

"Honey, stop lifting the boys up and down" Jeff cradled John into his own arms, leaving Lucille to fold her arms and pout slightly "Your suppose to be resting, not carrying these heavy weights!"

Jeff nudged John into a more comforting position for himself and started for the stairs, leaving Lucille behind sighing heavily and then humming as she went and sat next to Scott. She looked fondly at his sleeping form, and stroked his thick chocolate hair before he murmured something just beyond a whisper,

"I-no- wanna go to-school"

"Scott darling it isn't school time sweetie, wake up for Mummy please"

Scott wriggled out of his curled position on the sofa and into his mother's side, just as he had done with Jeff. He winked his eyes open to see his mother looking down on him, before he took up eye level with her bump, Lucille followed his eye line and smiled at his slow growing smile as he leant an ear against her expanded waist,

"I can hear him Mummy, he's kicking. Just like Gordy did"

"That's right sweetie, he's just dying to see his brothers"

"But Mummy he's still in there, Alan's not coming out"

Lucille was going to reply but was stopped by her own thoughts. She didn't like Jeff naming all of her sons after astronauts, like himself; but found it hard to rebel against it. They had after all suited them rather well. Lucille smiled down at her eldest gently poking at her stomach, only to get a powerful thump in return,

"He's certainly a kicker! Bit like you were-"

Scott's eyes glistened with happiness as he continued to listen to the thumping coming from his newest sibling,

"-You know Scotty, he can tell your there. He knows his big brother is nearby, I've never felt him kick this hard before. He must know who you are"

Scott's smile grew larger as the thumping continued. Lucille merely stoked the 5 years old head and he murmured to the thumping,

"Hello Alan, I'm Scotty your big b-wother. And I'm gunna love you lots and lots and look after you like I do Johnny, Virgie and Gordy"

Scott counted the names on his fingers, and was gobsmacked at how many digits he held up. He showed his mother just how many there were,

"Look Mummy! FIVE! Coz I'm one, Johnny's two, Virgie's three, Gordy's four and then Alan will be five! That's a lot of us Mummy, are you going to need my help? I can help!"

Scott bounced up and down on the spot in joy at the prospect of having four younger brothers. Lucille just smiled lovingly at him, and counted his fingers that still remained risen,

"That's right Sweetie, I'm going to need all of your help. Because one, two, three and four are already a lot of work, and number five is going to need all the love and support he needs. Can you do that Scotty?"

Scott nodded energetically and raced off once more. Lucille was unsure of what he was getting but when she saw that he had only run to the other side of the room to retrieve the calendar, she smirked and waited for Scott to sit back down,

"So Mummy, Alan is gunna be born when?"

"March sweetie, the 12th"

"Oh yeah! I remember! Scott found the date and with the pen that was attached at the top, and in very wobbly handwriting wrote,

Alan will be born!

Although he got his 'e' the wrong way round, Lucille knew what he had spelt. She grinned as she gentle took the pen from Scott and wrote just after it, in her graceful and elegant hand writing,

A tiring day for Mummy

Scott looked confused at the writing, mainly because he couldn't read the italics, but also because he didn't understand as to why. He looked blankly at his mother.

"It's not easy having a baby Scottie, Mummy will be very tired and Daddy will be too. You're going to have to be a big boy and look after the other three whilst the doctors welcome Alan into the world"

"So Alan's not here? But I can feel him there"

Scott pointed at the bump and turned his head sideways in that Alan had stopped kicking and thumping,

"No he's not sweetie, not just yet. You'll understand when you're a little older. For now, It's four and counting"

Thank you for reading! It was just a one shot at their childhoods, mainly because I want to write another long story but can't think of a catching narrative, besides this filled the gap quite nicely I thought :P! Please review and tell me what you think! (Be nice please!)

Till Next time! – Beth x


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